Doubling the call center efficiency of the City of Rotterdam by understanding the emotions of citizens

Client
City of Rotterdam

My role
 
As a project lead, I was responsible for the study set-up, the immersions, the analysis phase, and the results that we presented to the client. Two junior researchers helped me execute the interviews.

Research methods

• Interviews (stakeholders and users)
  
• Focus groups
• Quantitative analysis
  
• Affinity mapping
• Ecosystem map
• Prototyping
  
• Fundamental needs

Challenge

Rotterdam City Council’s service line is called over a million times a year by people from very different backgrounds with a wide variety of enquiries. We mapped their needs and redesigned the options menu. The selection menu was based on the organization’s structure and was unclear and confusing to citizens. This resulted in many misdialed menu options, frustrated callers and high costs for the municipality.



fig 1 factors initially influencing the structure of the selection menu

Synthesis

The insights from the interviews, focus groups and prototype tests were translated into themes, opportunity areas, and design guidelines. After a co-creation workshop with the client, we redesigned the selection menu. Now it is focused on enabling citizens to make the right selection and to feel confident in their call for help, instead of on efficiency.


fig 2 examples of themes

Impact

With the new design, people in financial stressful situations get the right support, care takers can call for their clients, and citizens are stimulated to report garbage and contribute to clean neighborhoods. Also, the redesign improved ratings and doubled efficiency:

• The number of misdialed menu options decreased by 50%, meaning that on a yearly basis 50.000 people are helped more efficiently.
  
  
• NPS score for waiting time experience went up to a 7.5 (coming from a 6.5)
  
  
• Overall NPS score went up to a 8- (coming from a 7+)